Story by Bridgette McAuliffe, Staff writer

Graphic courtesy of Pixabay

Last semester went by pretty fast, but the summer flew by faster. After weeks of sleeping in until noon and and staying in bed even later, it can be a difficult adjustment getting back into “school mode.” So, grab that coffee you so desperately need and get ready for an awesome semester with these tips.

Tip 1: Re-adjust Your Sleep Schedule

I know, I know. This is easier said than done. You cannot just change your entire sleep schedule in one day and expect to feel great the next morning for that 8 a.m. class. Instead of attempting to go to bed early right away, make a slow and steady change. Go to bed 30 minutes to an hour earlier every night and wake up at the same time every morning. The first week will, of course, be exhausting, and all you will want is a nap. But after your body adjusts, you will wake up feeling refreshed and ready for classes.

Tip 2: Treat Yourself on  Monday Morning

Do something that makes you look forward to waking up for class. Student, Jenny Rea starts off her Mondays with breakfast and a cup of coffee. Whether it is waking up a little earlier to cook or going to Future Grounds or Shaffer Coffee Company before your first class, do something that makes you look forward to starting a week of classes and school work.

Tip 3: Set a Routine Schedule for the Week

Most of us are not great at making sure we are caught up on homework. Buy a planner or use your phone to set a schedule for the week. Penciling in a specifictime for studying and working on homework should help you to follow through on assignments you otherwise might forget about. Students are thrown a lot of information the first week of school, so do not forget to write it down. If you stick to a schedule, you might find yourself with more free weekends to relax and be less stressed.

Tip 4: Reconnect With Your Friends

Murray State is great because there are so many students from so many different places. Odds are, you haven’t seen the friends you made last year in about three months. Go do something fun before your classes get too crazy. Spoil yourselves at Jasmine. Go get a cup of coffee. Have a movie night. Your friends in college become friends for life, so don’t forget to make time for those friendships, even though you may have to work around classes and homework.

Tip 5: Do Not Overwhelm Yourself

Students are given so many textbooks to read and essays to write at the beginning of the semester, don’t forget to pencil in some “me time.” Go buy a book to read, just for fun, that has nothing to do with your classes. Start watching a show on Netflix once every couple of days as a study break. Spoil yourself with a spa day. The workload only grows as the semester goes on so make sure you make a habit of treating yourself to some relaxation.

Tip 6: It is Okay to Call Home

A lot of us are farther away from our families than we have ever been. Know that it is okay to call home just to see how they are doing. Your family will often be one of your strongest support systems when you are stressed or lonely, and keeping in touch with them can keep you from feeling homesick. Even if you aren’t homesick, your parents are probably missing you.

Tip 7: Do Not Stress! You’ve Got This!

The difference between college and high school is that here, you are studying something you are passionate about. Let that  motivate you to work on that assignment that may be really challenging and time-consuming. You made it to Murray State, however far along you are in your college career, for a reason. You have what it takes to succeed, so do something you love and have fun!